


Bandit Or Huntsman?

by Ryuto12



Category: RWBY
Genre: Bandits & Outlaws, Canon-Typical Violence, Gun Violence, Light Angst, Team Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:41:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26607670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryuto12/pseuds/Ryuto12
Summary: While on a mission in Anima, Team STRQ seems to be going through it all normally. Mission complete, they should be back to Vale and by extension, Beacon, very soon, about a day or maybe two.That is, until a certain bandit tribe finds them.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen & Raven Branwen & Summer Rose & Taiyang Xiao Long
Kudos: 5





	1. Lies.

Tai huffed, tapping his foot as he stared into the fire. Around him laid his out cold teammates, there weapons. _And_ , his own gauntlets right next to him. But even if he had to use them, he was sure he was to tired to do so. On this mission, they'd been "blessed", the pleasure of killing a Leviathan. To add icing to the cake, it was to large for Summer to just turn it to stone or it-y bit-y pieces. So they instead had to fight the thing while it was only blinded. Granted, Qrow's Semblance had it tripping over its own feet, Raven's had them out of any harms way, and Summer's was just really, really, really, fast. And Tai's was decent enough to not get him smacked into 5 different pieces.

As was usual after a long mission, Summer was out cold and snoring louder than an Apathy could screech. 

The Branwen twins were also out cold. Qrow, spread out in his sleeping bag and snoring loud enough to match his namesake. Raven, on the other hand, was quietly snoring and laying flat on her stomach, giving Tai a nice view. 

Actually, on another note: Tai actually thought Raven to be awake, but just looking asleep. He'd seen her play dead before, so it wouldn't shock him if she could pretend to be asleep. 

Tai had always been curious to how the Branwen twins had all these random skills you wouldn't typically expect of a Huntsman or Huntress. Like, they could set traps. They could somehow intimidate even Summer, the woman who froze Grimm with a single flash of her elegant silver eyes. For the fact Raven wasn't the tallest girl in all of Beacon, she could sure make it seem that way. And why the Branwens' could make themselves look like a scared little sheep, before becoming mighty wolves to catch someone off guard. (Of which Qrow was more willingly to do then his constantly leader-like twin). 

After almost a year at Beacon, they'd briefly said they had been raised outside the kingdoms. Somewhere in the Kingdom of Mistral, Tai had once heard. Sometime in there early second year, he'd heard, in there own words: "we have an idiot that's are cousin but hes our brother but were not a speck related, his names Shay". Which confused the very Aura from Summer and Tai. 

Some other kids at Beacon who, a few of which, hailed from Mistral, made a rumor that Qrow and Raven were bandit children. One boy, who was also raised outside the Kingdom's in the wilderness of Anima, even claimed that Raven and Qrow were from the most notorious bandit group in all of Anima, the Branwen Tribe. 

Summer had told Tai not to give into the gossip, and to instead trust there friends, who denied the rumors. 

Rumors, we're just rumors after all. 

Though, Tai was still curious as to Raven and Qrow's life. 

When Tai had even tried asking Raven and Qrow, they denied them being from a bandit tribe in Anima. 

Tai would soon find out it was a lie. 

_Thump!_

Tai jumped at the sound, whirling his head to look behind himself. 

He saw a young boy, probably only a few years younger than his 19 year old self. Shaggy blonde hair and some run down clothes. 

He missed the hidden revolver under the boy's dark sleeve-less denim jacket. 

" Uh- Kid? " 

The boy looked up, and Tai could see either grey or light blue eyes. " Help... Ban-bandits... " The boy huffed, before his face planted into the dirt. 

Tai abruptly stood, wishing to make strides to the boy, only to feel a sharp sting in his shoulder. 

Gun shot. 

Now, for a second-year-Huntsman-in-training with the abilities of a forth year, they was decently easy to shrug off. 

Normally. 

Not when it was infused with ice Dust and Tai's shoulder was covered in a spike of it. 

Another round. 

This time, at his right knee, with it also having ice Dust. 

_Idiot._ Tai thought to himself, trying to look through the darkness to find the supposed sniper firing at him. _Good Huntsman grab there weapons before standing._

Third. 

Not him--

Summer. 

Four.

Qrow. 

Five. 

Raven. 

Now all of Tai's teammates were up real quick. 

Out of there sleeping bags, weapons in hand, and ready for battle. 

And, yep, Tai was right, Raven had been awake for that whole time. 

" What the hell-? " Qrow began, before cutting himself off. 

The gun shots stopped for a moment. 

Raven and Qrow exchanged worried glances, as they looked at the supposedly passed out boy near Tai. 

Six.

That time, Tai was able to dodge the shot. One, cause he had no other option cause his Aura was already low from there mission, and, two: he now knew where there sniper was hiding. 

" What did you manage to get yourself into this time while we were asleep?! " Summer exclaimed, looking around. 

" This kid came running over and then suddenly we were being shot at! " Tai yelled back, not even looking to his Leader. 

Seven. 

This time directed at Summer, who used her Semblance to dodge it, bursting into a flurry of white rose petals, landing next to Tai. 

" Screw the sleeping bags! Raven! Qrow! Bird Formation! Tai! Hold on! " 

" Wha-- " 

Tai barely let half a word leave his mouth before complying, getting his arm around Summer's neck, who didn't realize grabbed his gauntlets, before they were almost zooming away. 

Almost. 

That was, until the supposedly out cold kid, shot both of them with a lightning Dust bullet, mid petal burst, making both Summer and Tai crash down into the ground. 

And of course, Raven and Qrow hadn't even managed to get into bird-form before they to, got lightning Dust bulleted. 

Now, Tai was 300% aware they could have dodged, deflected, and/or blocked that.

 _So why didn't they?_ Was his last thought before it all fell dark. 

* * *

" Took you all long enough to wake up. I'm not exactly a patient woman. " 


	2. What Are You?

" Wh-who? Where-? " Summer was cut short. 

" Shh, child. " The woman before them said, her tone mocking a soothing one. " It's okay. " 

" What the..? Hey! Let us go lady! " Tai shouted, glaring at the woman. 

A man scoffed. " Said _lady_ has a name. " He laughed. 

The woman barked a laugh. " Hah! Where are my manners! Name's Kite! How 'bout you sweet little kiddos? " 

" We don't have to tell you shit! " Tai yelled, and if his hands weren't tied behind his back, he'd probably flip the woman off. The man from earlier snickered. " Kid, if you haven't realized yet, your in the middle of a bandit camp. Wrong words like that can leave you at deaths doorstep. " 

And then, yes, Tai now realized that. Also realizing they were tied up to polls and sat flat in there rears, hands tied behind them. 

One of the bandits being the boy from the night before. Now that it was sunrise. 

" You-! " 

" It's Shay. " The boy cut him off, scoffing. 

Tai was to caught up in his own anger to remember when the Branwen twins had mentioned a boy they knew named Shay. 

" I reckon you keep your talkin' in check, blond one. All of us here lack a certain degree of patience. " A girl spat at Tai. 

If he had to judge, she was between Summer and Raven in height, and took up far less space than either of them. 

As quiet as it was, Tai still heard Raven mumble, " Vernal... " 

Before Tai could comment however, the first woman snapped her fingers. Kite. 

" Ahem. Pay attention here, blond hair, silver eyes. Red eye'd ones. " She huffed, peering at them all. " Now that I have your attention, your gonna listen to what were gonna do with you. First off, you might notice your Aura's are down. I had my right hand man here, and _ohmygodsexyhusband,_ River here, brake your Aura's. " She pointed to the man near. " Second of all, we typically don't delve in trafficking, but silver eyes here is worth a pretty penny. Blond one is worth something for his looks while were in Mistral, and red eye'd ones could make a dollar to. " 

" What about my eyes..? " Summer asked, her tone wavering. 

Kite snickered. " Honestly, I don't even know what's so special about 'em. Just that there's somebody who's willing to pay up a good fortune for 'em. And I really don't care as long as it keeps my tribe fed. " She shrugged. 

" Your tribe..? " Qrow mumbled, looking utterly confused. 

" Haha! " Kite broke into laughter. " That ol' man Forest wasn't fit to lead the tribe no more. So I killed 'em. " The woman shrugged. " He made for a good wall carpet. " She continued, looking to the Branwen twins. 

Said twins looked conflicted between anger and sadness. " You did... what..? " 

Kite huffed. " Raven you've always been the smartest of you twins. Must I spell it out? " 

" Guys... what's she talking about..? " Tai mumbled, his eyes gliding over to the Branwen twins. 

" I killed Forest. Cut off his arm and tossed him in the ravine. " Kite said, smiling. " No offence to the actual Ravine. " She continued, glancing at a bandit in the background. 

" When..? " Qrow murmured, staring wide eyed at the bandit leader. 

Kite snorted. " You twins always loved asking questions, you curious little brats. Well, it was right after you went back to Beacon after break. I challenged him that night. I knew I couldn't beat the old bastard normally, but since we'd all gotten drunk the night you went back, he was easy work. " She shrugged, grinning at the Branwen twins. 

" I knew you were a dirty hag Kite, from the moment Forest saw your _"worth",_ but I never expected you'd fall that low. " Qrow growled, his eyes sharply narrowed at the women. 

Kite opened her mouth to speak, before being caught off by Tai. 

" So the rumors are true..? " 

Raven and Qrow froze. 

" Tai- " 

" Are they?! Or not?! " 

The Branwen twins fell quiet. 

Kite burst into laughter. " It seemed you kiddo's held your end of the deal. But, time's are changing. So like any loyal Branwen, your gonna listen to your leaders orders. " The leader glanced behind her, " Shay, Mars, do it. " 

The brat from earlier, Shay, and some redheaded boy who looked there age: Mars, got behind Raven and Qrow. 

_Snap._ And with that, the ropes on there hands were cut free. 

Raven was the first to stand and glare at the leader. " And what order would that be? " 

" Kill the blond and the silver eyes. That simple. " Kite shrugged, looking to the other teenagers. " Mars, Shay, don't be useless sacks of corpses, hand over there weapons. " 

It was then, Shay and Mars rounded the polls and: Shay handed over Omen to Raven, and Mars handed over Harbinger to Qrow. 

" Do it. " 

Qrow and Raven exchanged a glance. " Thought you said selling them would be better? " 

" The Faunus who was willing for silver eyes here was willing to pay should we do the duty. What was her name again... Took? Talk? Something like that. Paid up front, said she'd been tracking those eyes anyway. It was just a simple way of not having to do it. And blond? He was just gonna die anyway. " 

The Branwen twins nodded. " I see... Let me do it, Kite. " Raven said, nodding to her brother, who nodded back. 

Kite smiled in return. " Always knew you'd be the more take-charge of you twins. " 

" Raven! You can't be serious! " Tai burst out, his previous anger replaced with a mix of shock, horror, and betrayal, his eyes watering. 

The raven -- pun intended -- haired woman raised her blade above her head, ready to strike at Summer first. 

" Do we really mean nothing? The rumors were _that_ true? " Summer said, her voice little more than a broken shell. " When I practically broke your back in the forest, when Qrow wore a skirt, the dance, any of that? " She continued, tears falling down her cheeks. " And I still called you the siblings I lost. " 

Raven grimaced. " Sorry, but sometimes family disappoints you like that. " Her blade swung down. 

" Ah! " 

But it didn't hit Summer. 

It went through a red-black portal to the bandit leader. 


End file.
